System and method for multiple asynchronous text chat conversations

Abstract

A plurality of users communicate in a plurality of real-time text conversations (e.g., "chat sessions") in a client-server message processing environment using messages including a conversation index, a conversation-initiator ID and a list of message recipients. Each conversation is maintained at client terminals in an individual window. Dropping and controlled adding of conversation participants is attended by message updates to other participants. Alternative peer-to-peer message handling reduces the processing burden on servers while allowing clients to perform control and display functions. Voice or other non-text messages are also communicated using described techniques.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. In a data network comprising a plurality of nodes, at least some of which nodes are connected to terminals, each terminal associated with a user, a method for communicating between users in a plurality of simultaneous text chat conversations, each chat conversation comprising a selected plurality of said users (participants) to the exclusion of other non-participant users, the method comprising, separately for each of said plurality of simultaneous text chat conversations, the steps of 
       maintaining at a first set of said terminals a plurality of windows viewable by an associated user, each of said windows being associated with one of said chat conversations,  
       receiving at one of said first set of terminals a message comprising an originator ID and a conversation ID, and  
       based on said message comprising said originator ID and said conversation ID, updating the conversation associated with a respective one of said windows at said one of said terminals.  
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1  wherein said one of said first set of terminals is associated with a user having a first recipient name, said message received at said one of said first set of terminals including a list of recipients comprising said first recipient name, and said data network comprises at least one node performing the step of forwarding said message to said one of said first set of terminals. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim  2  wherein said at least one node is a server node and wherein said server node performs said forwarding by performing the steps of 
       forming a list of participants for each active chat conversation identified by an initiating user ID and a conversation ID,  
       comparing the list of recipients in a received message with the stored list having the same initiating user ID and a conversation ID, and  
       forwarding said received message to said first set of terminals when said list of recipients matches said stored list having the same initiating user ID and conversation ID.  
     
     
       4. In a data network comprising at least one communications server and a plurality of terminals, each said terminal associated with a user, each said terminal communicating with a respective communications server, a method for communicating between users in a plurality of simultaneous text chat conversations, each simultaneous text chat conversation comprising a selected plurality of said users (participants) to the exclusion of other non-participant users, the method comprising, separately for each of said plurality of simultaneous text chat conversations, the steps of 
       receiving at a first communications server an initiating message from a initiating user terminal associated with said first communications server, said initiating message comprising a list of initial recipients in a chat conversation and a chat identifier uniquely identifying a new chat session,  
       establishing at said first communications server and each of said communications servers associated with at least one of said initial recipients a chat participant list for said new chat conversation, said chat participant list comprising said initial list of chat recipients and said initiating user,  
       at each of said communications servers associated with a participant of a chat conversation, upon receipt of a subsequent message from a participant on said distribution list, said subsequent message comprising said chat identifier and a list of intended recipients of said message,  
       adding to said participant list any intended recipient not on said participant list at each of said communications servers associated with an intended recipient, and forwarding said subsequent message to users on said participant list.  
     
     
       5. The method of claim  4  further comprising the steps of 
       upon receipt at a second communications server of a message identified by a chat identifier and a list of intended recipients, said list of intended recipients including a user associated with said second communications server,  
       establishing a chat participant list at said second communications server for said identified chat session, said chat participant list comprising all of said chat recipients and the originator of said message.  
     
     
       6. The method of claim  4  further comprising steps performed at a user terminal upon receipt of a message comprising a chat identifier and a list of current participants, 
       displaying in a display area uniquely associated with said chat identifier any content of said message and said list of current participants.  
     
     
       7. The method of claim  4  wherein said at least one communications server comprises a plurality of interconnected servers, and wherein each of said interconnected servers maintains a chat participant list for said new chat conversation, said chat participant list initially comprising said initial list of chat recipients and said initiating user. 
     
     
       8. In a data network comprising a plurality of nodes, at least some of which nodes are connected to terminals, each terminal associated with a user, a method for communicating between users in a plurality of chat conversations, each chat conversation comprising a selected plurality of said users (participants) to the exclusion of other non-participant users, the method comprising, separately for each of said plurality of chat conversations, the steps of 
       maintaining at each of a first set of said terminals a first window viewable by an associated user, said window being associated with a first of said chat conversations,  
       receiving at each of said first set of terminals first sequences of messages, each comprising a conversation initiator ID and a conversation ID for said first chat conversation,  
       based on said first sequences of messages, updating the status of said first window at each of said first set of terminals,  
       maintaining at each of at least a second set of said terminals a respective at least a second window viewable by an associated user, said at least a second windows being associated with respective ones of said chat conversations,  
       receiving at each of said at least a second set of terminals respective sequences of messages, each comprising a conversation initiator ID and a conversation ID for a respective chat conversation,  
       based on each of said at least a second sequences of messages, updating the status of said respective one of said at least a second window at each of said at least a second set of terminals.  
     
     
       9. The method of claim  8  wherein said first set of terminals and said at least a second set of terminals are not mutually exclusive, whereby at least some of said terminals maintain a plurality of windows, each window being associated with a respective one of said chat conversations. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim  8  wherein at least one of said nodes is a server node, said at least one server node(s) performing the steps of 
       receiving messages from associated terminals, and  
       forwarding said received messages in accordance with a list of recipients included in said messages.  
     
     
       11. The method of claim  10  further comprising at said server the steps of comparing the list of recipients in a received message with a stored list associated with the conversation initiator ID and conversation ID for said received message, and 
       forwarding said received message to said list of recipients in said received message when said list of recipients matches said stored list.  
     
     
       12. In a data network comprising a plurality of nodes, at least some of which nodes connected to terminals, each terminal associated with a user, a method for are communicating between users in a plurality of chat conversations, each chat conversation comprising a selected plurality of said users (participants) to the exclusion of other non-participant users, the method comprising, separately for each of said plurality of chat conversations, the steps of 
       maintaining at each of a first set of said terminals a first window viewable by an associated user, said window being associated with a first of said chat conversations,  
       receiving at each of said first set of terminals first sequences of messages, each comprising a conversation initiator ID and a conversation ID for said first chat conversation,  
       based on said first sequences of messages, updating the status of said first window at each of said first set of terminals,  
       maintaining at each of at least a second set of said terminals a respective at least a second window viewable by an associated user, said at least a second windows being associated with respective ones of said chat conversations,  
       receiving at each of said at least a second set of terminals respective sequences of messages, each comprising a conversation initiator ID and a conversation ID for a respective chat conversation,  
       based on each of said at least a second sequences of messages, updating the status of said respective one of said at least a second window at each of said at least a second set of terminals.  
     
     
       13. A communications server supporting chat conversations among a plurality of user terminals comprising 
       means for receiving an initiating message from one of said user terminals for each of said chat conversations, said initiating message comprising a conversation ID, a conversation initiator ID and an initial list of recipients,  
       means uniquely associated with each combination of said conversation ID and said conversation initiator ID for storing said respective initial list of recipients,  
       means for receiving chat messages from a plurality of user terminals, each such message comprising a conversation ID, a conversation initiator ID and a list of recipients,  
       means for comparing the list of recipients in each message having a particular combination of conversation ID and conversation initiator ID with the stored list of recipients associated with said particular combination, and  
       means for forwarding said message having said particular combination to said list of recipients in said message when said list of recipients matches those stored in association with said particular combination.  
     
     
       14. The server of claim  13  further comprising 
       means for replacing said stored list associated with said particular combination with said recipient list recipient list in said message having said particular combination whenever said recipient list in said message having said particular combination is a proper subset of said stored list.  
     
     
       15. A user terminal for use in a data communications system supporting a plurality of simultaneous text chat conversations among a plurality of user terminals, each chat conversation being conducted among a selected plurality of users (participants) at respective user terminals to the exclusion of other non-participant users, said terminal comprising 
       means for displaying a plurality of text chat conversation windows,  
       means for receiving messages, each message comprising at least a chat conversation ID and a conversation initiator ID, the combination of said chat conversation ID and conversation initiator ID being uniquely associated with one of said plurality of windows, said messages optionally containing control or user conversation information,  
       means for updating respective ones of said windows based on messages having uniquely associated combinations of said chat conversation IDs and conversation initiator IDs.